PLANT SCIENCES
What can I do with this major?
AREAS
LANDSCAPE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
Residential Design
Landscape Construction
Landscape Maintenance
Specialty Installation (Irrigation systems, ponds,
rockscapes, lighting)
Sales and Contracting
TURFGRASS SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
TURFGRASS SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT
Golf Course Management
Golf Course Management
Sport Turf Management
Sport Turf Management
Sod Production
Sod Production
Residential Lawn Installation and Management
Residential Lawn Installation and Management
Irrigation Systems
Irrigation Systems
Research
Research
EMPLOYERS
STRATEGIES
Landscape design companies
Garden centers
Parks, amusement parks, and zoos
Golf courses
Sport fields
Cemeteries
Large hotels and resorts
Industrial sites
Colleges and universities
Local/city governments
State highway departments
Self-employment
Get practical experience in the field through
internships or summer and part-time jobs.
Be prepared to work seasonally or move to a climate
where more year-round opportunities are available.
Develop skills in speaking, writing, and photography.
Obtain a business or agricultural economics minor if
interested in management or self-employment.
Earn a landscape architect degree and obtain
professional certification as a landscape architect
for better positions, advancement opportunities,
more responsibility, and higher pay.
Participate in the annual American Landscape
Contractor's Association competition.
Golf courses
Golf
courses
Lawn
care companies
Lawn
careand
companies
Colleges
universities
Colleges
universities
Sport andand
athletic
fields
Sport
and governments
athletic fields
Local/city
Local/city
Parks andgovernments
amusement parks
Parks
and amusement
Sod production
firms parks
Sod
firms
Pestproduction
management
companies
Pest
management
companies
Landscape
companies
Landscape
companies
Irrigation firms
Irrigation firms
Get practical experience with golf courses and other
Get practical experience with golf courses and other
turf businesses through internships or summer
turf businesses through internships or summer
and part-time jobs.
and part-time jobs.
Participate in relevant student organizations and
Participate in relevant student organizations and
professional associations, e.g. the Turf Club or
professional associations, e.g. the Turf Club or
Hort Club.
Hort Club.
Develop effective communication skills.
Develop effective communication skills.
Obtain a business or agricultural economics minor if
Obtain a business or agricultural economics minor if
interested in management or self-employment.
interested in management or self-employment.
Be prepared to work seasonally or move to a climate
Be prepared to work seasonally or move to a climate
where more year-round opportunities are available.
where more year-round opportunities are available.
(Plant Sciences, Page 2)
AREAS
PUBLIC HORTICULTURE
Adult and Youth Education
Urban Horticulture
Plant Collections
Urban Forestry
Horticulture Therapy
Communications
Management
PLANT SCIENCES, HORTICULTURE, AND
PLANT SCIENCES, HORTICULTURE, AND
BIOTECHNOLOGY
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Greenhouse and Nursery Management
Greenhouse and Nursery Management
Vegetable and Fruit Production
Vegetable and Fruit Production
Plant Biotechnology
Plant Biotechnology
Plant Breeding and Genetics
Plant Breeding and Genetics
Agronomy
Agronomy
EMPLOYERS
Public and botanic gardens
Arboreta and conservatories
Radio and television stations
Magazines, newspapers and internet sites
Zoos and aquariums
Cities and parks
State highway departments
Universities
Cemeteries
Theme parks
Extension Service
Hospitals and therapy centers
Nursing homes and senior centers
Nurseries, greenhouses, florists, and other wholesale
Nurseries, greenhouses, florists, and other wholesale
and retail companies
and retail companies
Extension Service
Extension Service
Biotechnology companies
Biotechnology companies
Agribusinesses
Agribusinesses
Plant propagation and production businesses
Plant propagation and production businesses
Harvesting and fertilization manufacturers
Harvesting and fertilization manufacturers
Consulting firms
Consulting firms
Government agencies: local, state, federal, and
Government agencies: local, state, federal, and
international
international
High schools, colleges, and universities
High schools, colleges, and universities
STRATEGIES
Develop excellent writing and speaking skills.
Join student organizations and seek leadership roles.
Learn to work well with all types of people.
Gain practical experience in the field through
internships and summer and part-time jobs.
Earn Registered Horticultural Therapist licensure for
plant therapy or become a Certified Horticulturist.
Obtain teacher certification for public school
positions.
Gain practical experience in the field through
Gain practical experience in the field through
internships and summer and part-time jobs.
internships and summer and part-time jobs.
Assist a professor with a research project.
Assist a professor with a research project.
Join horticultural or agronomy clubs or other student
Join horticultural or agronomy clubs or other student
professional associations to network and cultivate
professional associations to network and cultivate
related academic interests.
related academic interests.
Become a Certified Horticulturist.
Become a Certified Horticulturist.
A master’s or doctoral degree may be necessary for
A master’s or doctoral degree may be necessary for
advancement. Some federal and private agency
advancement. Some federal and private agency
work, consulting positions, and especially
work, consulting positions, and especially
research positions require a graduate degree.
research positions require a graduate degree.
Maintain a strong grade point average to be
Maintain a strong grade point average to be
competitive for graduate school admission.
competitive for graduate school admission.
(Plant Sciences, Page 3)
GENERAL INFORMATION
• For entry level positions in most areas of landscape design, horticulture, turf, agronomy and biotechnology, a bachelor’s degree is sufficient. A graduate degree
may be necessary for advancement in some fields such as research and consulting.
• Depending upon which specialty you choose, supplement curriculum with important supporting courses: business, journalism, planning, geology, entomology,
soils, biology. Take communications courses and develop computer skills.
• Majoring in two subject areas or pursuing a minor can increase marketability. For example, study in landscape design and business, or public horticulture and
journalism, can lead to greater opportunities.
© 2006 The University of Tennessee
Prepared by the Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. (2006)
UTK is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA /ADEA Employer